New space for country house bats

The bats were found after the trust bought the property

Conservation experts are moving a colony of rare bats into a new purpose-built home at a country house near Bristol.

The Pipistrelle bats were discovered after the National Trust purchased the Tyntesfield estate.

During survey work, the bats were found living in the roof space of the Engine House, part of the sawmill buildings at the property.

As this is to be used as a teaching facility, the bats needed a new home.

'Superb home'

Now a spacious new purpose-built home for the bats has been built above the Wood Store, a barn mounted on timber posts.

Tyntesfield's Capital Works programme manager, Colm O'Kelly, said: "It's a superb new home for the bats.

"The latest conservation law requires us not just to restore the original facilities for the bats but to improve them and we've certainly achieved that."

The National Trust bought the Victorian Gothic revival mansion at Wraxall in 2002 for £30m.